Owning your own business can be very satisfying, but it also takes a lot of hard work. There are many tasks that need to be done, but there's no room in the budget to hire someone to do them.

This is where productivity programs and apps come in handy. Maybe you need help with graphics, or need to know which tasks turn into timesinks, or how to deal with invoices and purchasing. Plenty of help is out there in cyberspace so you can pick the one that's right for you

Here are 7 productivity tools that we've found helpful:

Time tracking apps

Harvest's time-tracking app works on iPhones and Androids. It helps you track time so you don't miss billable hours. And it does so much more.

Instead of a shoebox full of receipts, just take a photo of it and ad some details. Harvest then digitally stores your receipts. Best of all, you can stay in the loop with team projects. You can see team members' timers, task notes in real-time and how a project is progressing. Harvest offers a 30-day free trial.

RescueTime tracks your productivity through percentages. It analyzes how many percents you spend on a certain site and on your task. You then get a daily productivity score. It’s also a good way to track your productivity progress every week. Compatible with iPhones and Androids, the app is free, but two premium versions of the app are available for a fee.

Time tries to make the drudgery of keeping track of your productivity by making it into a type of game. It uses artificial intelligence to help you keep everything in perspective.

It's also very straightforward. You enter the task and how much time you need to finish it. The background color moves from green to yellow to red. If you haven't finished by the time you hit red, Time goes into Overtime Mode and records how much extra time you’ve spent on the task. The app is only for Apple gadgets and costs $9.99.

Task-oriented tools

TimeCamp is free time tracking software, but it also functions as accounting software. You create invoices based on time entries and budgeting. With one click, you send off those invoices to your customers. For Android and iOS, TimeCamp offers a 1 month free trial.

Canva is a virtual graphic designer for small companies that can't afford to hire someone for the job. It's a website the provides the tools you need to create logos, banners or infographics for important reports. It's free, but you have to pay for the premium version.

Slack helps you overcome a problem all companies, big or small have -- communication. Slack is a simple tool that allows you to create chat groups to discuss projects, share files or pass along important company information that is urgent for everyone to know.

Slack also is a way to pass on urgent news and make sure everyone who receives it responds immediately. Slack can be used by Androids and iPhones, with the standard plan costing just under $7 per person.

Spark will be your best friend as it starts organizing your emails. It understands which of your emails are the most important and puts them at the top of your email list. It also divides emails into three categories: personal, newsletters and notifications. It’s free on Android, Mac and iOS.

This cool tool lets you compare software, apps side by side for your business

When you're looking for software solutions for your business, this cool site can help you compare options side by side. We use it at Komando.com, and you should too. Compare important features like cost, support, and features, and read reviews from real users.